Sudden cardiac arrest is a medical emergency that has become a major problem in today’s society. It is not the same as a heart attack, and has received much less publicity, but is normally fatal without immediate treatment. The chance of surviving a sudden cardiac arrest is largely dependent on immediate medical care, and early cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can make a huge difference to the chance of survival.
The heart can stop pumping blood around the body if the electrical impulses in the heart become chaotic or rapid, and the heart beats so fast it quivers instead of pumping blood. Sometimes a cardiac arrest can occur because of extreme slowing of the heart. The sudden cessation of blood flow and loss of oxygen to the brain leads to unconsciousness and breathing stops. Death can occur in four to six minutes.
The Symptoms of Cardiac Arrest
Prior to a cardiac arrest the victim may experience a racing heart beat or feel dizzy. Other signals can include blackouts, shortness of breath, chest pain or fainting, but in many cases there may be no warning signs, and the victim can lose consciousness before he can even let others know he feels unwell and asks for help.
Once sudden cardiac arrest occurs the symptoms are very major and include sudden collapse, unconsciousness, lack of breathing and no pulse. As the heart is no longer pumping there is no blood circulation occurring and therefore no carotid pulse. Because major organs including the brain are no longer receiving oxygen they start to deteriorate.
The Causes of Cardiac Arrest
Sudden cardiac arrest is most likely to occur in people who have underlying heart problems, and over 80 per cent of sudden cardiac arrest victims already have coronary artery disease. The immediate cause is an electrical problem in the heart, when the electrical pulses through the heart result in it beating too fast, too slow, or irregularly. This is called heart arrhythmia.
Most people with a healthy heart are unlikely to develop a sustained arrhythmia unless there is trigger such as an electric shock, chest trauma or drug abuse. Life-threatening arrhythmia is most likely to develop in those with a pre-existing heart condition. Heart conditions that can put people at risk include an enlarged heart, valvular heart disease and congenital heart disease, but the major one is coronary heart disease.
Coronary heart disease is when the coronary arteries are narrowed by fatty buildups of cholesterol and other deposits. This results in a reduction in the blood flow to the heart which can reduce its ability to conduct the electrical impulses. Severe coronary artery disease can then lead to a heart attack which causes areas of dead tissue in the heart which can then cause further electrical short circuits.
The people who have the highest risk of having a sudden cardiac arrest are those with coronary artery disease, those who have had a heart attack, those who have previously survived a sudden cardiac arrest, those with a family history of sudden cardiac arrest and those who have primary heart rhythm abnormalities. For those without heart conditions, a sudden cardiac arrest can be caused by traumas, infections, cancer or overdoses.
References and Useful Links
How is Sudden Cardiac Arrest Treated?
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